Injector ejector liquid spray apparatus



March 1, 1960 c. H. SNYDER INJECTOR EJFJCTOR LIQUID SPRAY APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

FIG.5

'lll4 FIG.2

INVENTOR. CLIFFORD H.SNYDER ATTORNEY March 1, 1960 c; SNYDER 2,926,857

INJECTOR EJECTOR LIQUID SPRAY APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CLIFFORD H. SNYDER ATTORNEY United States Patent 7 2,926,857 INJECTOR EJECTOR 'LIQUID SPRAY APPARATUS Clifford H. Snyder, Dormont, Pa. Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,966

16 Claims. (Cl. 239-453 This invention relates generally to dispensing materials by liquid spraying and more particularly to a combined injector ejector liquid spray apparatus.

Spray apparatus of ejection type can only dispense the more fluent liquids. Any solids, viscous or heavy liquids have a tendency of settling to the bottom of the container and the ejector merely sucks water through the container, thus by-passing the heavy liquids and solids. Mere shaking of the container will not maintain a uniform suspension of the heavier liquids or solids in the solution, which results in a very unsatisfactory spray.

The spray apparatus of this invention employs the combination of the injector as well as the ejector principles to maintain a uniform suspension of the heavier liquid or solid being dispensed. The injection of a portion of the conveying liquid, which is generally water, provides the mixing or stirring action without the aid of mechanical means. i

The use of the combined injector ejector principles permit a structure for regulating the flow of the spray and for also regulating the proportions of the spray mixture being dispensed.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of an injector type spray where the injection must pass through the atmosphere before entering the spray :and thus prevent any accumulation of pressure in the :spray that would burst the spray container.

Another object is the provision of a valve structure for controlling the action of the spray at a first principal position to flow the greatest amount of liquid into and out of the spray container. A second principal position :permits the liquid to be injected to the spray container but breaking a portion of the ejection force by partial Einfiux of air. The third principal position cuts off the injection of liquid to the apparatus and breaks the whole .of .the ejection suction, preventing any flow to .or from the spray container. This valve control is efiective on .each type of spray structure employing an injector throat before or after the ejector throat.

Another structure employs gravity pressure on the liquid of the injector to aid in inducing .water flow into the spray apparatus.

In each spray apparatus of this invention the injection pressure isplaced in tandem with the ejection pressure or -suction tomove the conveying liquid into and out of the arate. By controlling the injection and ejection pressures 'the proportion of the depletion rate may be controlled The injection is first reduced to deplete the circulationof lithe conveying liquid. This reduces the rate of depletion ofthe spray material as well as decreases the suspension. When the injection pressure is reduced the ejection is reduced by allowing air to be drawn into the stream, thus 2,926,857 Patented Mar. 1, 1960 reducing the suction until all air and no liquid is ejected.

Thus the injection and ejection pressures may be controlled independently of the force and pressure of the conveying liquid which may also be controlled in combination with the independent injection and ejection pressures which themselves may be variable through the use of tapered or changing orifices. This apparatus thus provides control not hereto obtainable by spray apparatus.

Another object is the provision of a novel valve con trol structure for the spray head comprising this invert tion.

Other objects and advantages are disclosed hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of'a spray head.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the head shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of a modified spray head structure.

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 4. 7

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are views showing relative positions of the control valve comprising this invention.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a gravity feed injection pressure spray head.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-1 of Fig. 9. c

The spray head shown in Figs. 1 to 5 comprises a spray head or body 1 in the form of a cap having an annular flange 2 having some means, such as the internal thread 3, to secure it to a container 4, which is usually a glass jar. A rubber washer 5 may be employed to keep the jar from leaking around the rim if the container is tilted.

The body of the cap has an upwardly open trough 6 formed by the outer surface, floor or bottom 7 and the diverging side walls 8 and 10. The inner end of the trough has the transverse wall 11. It is preferable to have the floor 7 slope upwardly as indicated in Fig. 2 as it places the action surface of the floor 7 closer to the center of the stream of conveyor liquid, which would ordinarily be water. The water is supplied through the hose 12, the end of which is secured by the threaded ferrule 13 which has a flange 14 engaging the flange 15 of the nozzle 16. The end of the hose engages the ordinary garden hose washer 17 to seal the hose with the nozzle.

The nozzle 16 may threadably engage an opening. in the end wall 11 and it has a centrally disposed throat 18 for receiving an orifice member '20. The orifice member 20 has a central throat 21 that is sometimes placed axially of the orifice member as shown in Fig. 2 or it may be mounted eccentrically or off to one side of the axis of the opening 18 as shown in Fig. 5. The throat of the orifice member 20 may also be changed as to size as well as being centered or elf-center.

In any event the throat 21 of the orifice member 20 is a restriction to the flow of the conveyer liquid which liquid stream strikes the floor .7 and the walls 8 and 10' and is guided thereby in fanning out to make a spray.

The outer end of the floor 7 and the side walls 8 and 10 have a recess 22 and 23 formed therein. Since the. liquid strikes the floor and side walls it fans out and 3 covers the surface of the same. The depth of this covering of the conveyer liquid is determined by the size of the orifice throat and the pressure of the conveyer liquid. The sheet of liquid passing off the ends of the floor and side walls 7, 8 and 10 creates an influx of air into the corresponding surface of the spray stream, preventing any dripping of the spray. It is preferable to make the cross section of the recesses 22 and 23 arcuate as it is more conducive in guiding the flow of air into the outer surface of the stream.

The body of the spray head has a vertical discharge hole 24 which is preferably centrally disposed in the floor 7 between the walls 8 and 10. The hole is practically in the center of the head. The underside of the spray head has the annular land section 25 surrounding the discharge hole 24. This hole may be gauged to any selected size but it is preferably a straight hole of uniform diameter that connects into the jar 4. The floor surface has the stepped crescent 26 which is arcuate and deepest where the hole 24 comes through the floor 7 and vanishes at 27. This crescent in combination with the other novel features of the structure comprising this invention produces a superior spray action.

In the structure of Figs. 1 to 3 an opening 30 is formed in the surface of the floor 7 between the hole 24 and the wall 11. The hole 30 slopes downwardly and forwardly and connects with the transverse passage 31 and then continues on down by the passage 32 to the underside of the cap 1 where it connects with the jar 4. The passage 32 may be a metering passage and is smaller than the passage 30.

The transverse passage 31 is of uniform diameter and it contains the valve member 33. This valve has a head 34 and 35 at each end which is larger than the bore of the transverse passage 31 and closes over the same, and the passage terminates in the outer faces of the vertical walls 36 and 37 of the diverging walls 8 and 10 respectively.

A connecting passage 38 is made to the hole 24 diagonally to the end of the passage 31 adjacent the wall 34. When the head 34 of the valve 33 engages the wall 36 it closes the passage 38 to atmosphere, but when the head 34 is away from the wall air may circulate through the passage 38 to Z4 and thus issue out to the crescent 26 with any material withdrawn through the discharge 24. The more air that is permitted to circulate the less suction remaining to draw liquid through the discharge hole 24.

The valve 33 has three spool sections 40, 41 and 42 and two by-pass sections 43 and 44, as illustrated in Figs 6, 7 and 8, which show the relative positions of this valve in respect to its use in the structure of Figs. 1 to 5. As shown in Fig. 6 the spool section 42 has closed the passages 30 and 31 and no conveyer liquid can enter the jar 4. Thus the injection pressure is nil. The spool section 40 is out away from the transverse passage 31 and thus thepassage 38 is entirely open to the air through the wall 36 and air is drawn into the discharge hole 24. Thus any elfect on the suction or eject on pressure differential is nullified by the influx of air. Thus no solution will be withdrawn from the jar 4 regardless of the pressure of the conveying liquid.

In the position of the valve 33 shown in Fig. 7 the passages 30 and 32 are opened through the sections 44 of the valve and the maximum injection is received from the conveyer spray stream on the floor 7 ahead of the discharge 24 which is caused to flow into the jar 4 through the passages 30, 31 and 32. The conveying liquid will flow, filling the jar 4 and constantly stirring it up. If the jar 4 contains a mixture to be sprayed, then this material forms a solution with the conveyer liquid and is discharged through the hole 24 because of two pressure differentials, the injection pressure and the ejection pressure differential or suction created by the stream flowing over the hole 24 on the floor 7. Since the spool section 40 in Fig. 7 is just cracked from the wall 36 air is still admitted, thus diminishing the suction to a limited degree, but the injection pressure continues and a definite ratio of the liquid in the jar is discharged through the hole 24.

In Fig. 8 the injection pressure is at its maximum in forcing liquid through the openings 30 and 32 into the jar 4. The spool 40 is entered into the transverse passage 31. The head 34 is against the wall surface 36, thus completely sealing oif the air by-pass to passage 38, making the ejection pressure differential or suction at its maximum. By extending the spool 42 and tapering the spools 40 and 42 from their ends to their heads 34 and 35, respectively, a varied control of the flow of air and injection liquid may be controlled to vary the effect of the ratio of discharge from that shown in Fig. 6 as no flow to that shown in Fig. 8 as full flow.

Referring specifically to Figs. 4 and 5, the valve passage 31 together with the injection passages 39 and 32 have been moved to that fioor space between the discharge 24 and the recess 22. Otherwise the structure is identical. In this structure some of the liquid to be dispensed by spraying is recirculated through the injection passages, whereas inFigs. l to 3 only the conveying liquid is circulated through the injection system. Both structures work about the same. Very little distinction can be noticed.

in the structure illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the valve member has been eliminated and the injection system has been modified to reduce the pressure of injection to that of substantially the gravity of the liquid spray mixture.

The floor 7 has the sump 50 therein which has the openings 51 and 52 that extend through the spray head into the jar 4. This sump 50 may be on either side of the discharge 24.

The floor 53 beyond the sump may be depressed from the surface of the floor 7 so that the stream passing over the sump will not force its way down into the jar but depend only on the head of the liquid in this sump which flows into the jar 4 through the passages 51 and 52 owing to the fact that liquid is withdrawn from the jar by ejection. Thus the only aid given to ejection is the head of water in the sump 50. Otherwise the whole of the pressure employed to discharge the spray mixture is ejection pressure differential or suction.

It should be noted that under no condition can the jar 4 be. filled under pressure of the conveying liquid. The injection pressure must be developed under atmospheric conditions as the openings 30 and 5152 are exposed to the atmosphere, being covered only by the sheet of the spray flowing out over the head.

I claim: 7

1. A spray head having an attachment for a liquid container comprising an upwardly open outer surface exposed to the air, a nozzle carried by said head and having a throat to direct a conveying liquid stream through the air onto said outer surface, means defining a first passage from said container attachment and opening in said outer surface in the path of the stream to function as an ejector passage for liquid from the container, and means defining a second passage from said attachment for said container and opening through said outer surface in the path of the stream and spaced from said ejector to function as an injector passage for liquid entering from the stream to the container.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said injection passage is upstream of the ejection passage.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said injection passage is downstream of the ejection passage.

4, The structure of claim 1 characterized in thatsaid injection passage has a large sump in said outer surface.

5. The structure of claim 4 characterized in that said sump is downstream from said ejector passage and that the floor surface beyond said sump is lower than said flo emigre 6. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that said nozzle comprises a member in said head with said throat eccentrically positioned therein to change the direction of the conveying liquid and thus vary the injection and ejection of liquid through said passages to and from said container.

7. The structure of claim 1 which also includes a valve passage in said head having one portion connected intermediate the end of the injection passage, and a valve member in said passage to control the flow of liquid passing throughsaid injection passage.

8. The structure of claim 1 which also includes a valve passage in said head having one portion connected with said ejection passage, and a valve member in said passage to control the flow of air passing to said ejector passage.

9. The structure of claim 1 which also includes a valve passage in said head connected with said injection and said ejection passages, and a valve member in said valve passages to control the flow through said injection and. ejection passages.

10. The structure of claim 9 characterized in that said valve member maintains the injection and ejection passages independent of each other.

11. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the mouth of said ejection passage slopes upwardly from said passage to said outer surface in the direction of the stream movement.

12. A spray head adapted for attachment on a container comprising a floor exposed to the air, a nozzle having an opening directing a conveying liquid through the air onto said floor, a container ejection passage having its opening in said floor in the path of the stream, a container injection passage having its opening in said floor in the path of the liquid stream and spaced from said ejection opening, a valve chamber in said head and connected with both of said passages, and a single valve 14. The structure of claim 12 characterized in that said valve structure is extended to include a partial flow of air to said ejector passage when said injector passage is uninhibited.

15. The structure of claim 12 characterized in that said valve structure is extended to include an unlimited flow of air to said ejector passage and check the flow of fluid through said injector passage.

16. A spray device comprising a container having an upwardly open outer surface exposed to the air, means defining a first passage opening in said outer surface and connected to the interior of said container to function as an ejector for said container, means defining a second passage opening in said outer surface and connected to the interior of said container to function as an injector passage for said container, and a nozzle supported from said outer surface and having a throat to direct a spray conveying liquid stream through the open air onto said outer surface covering openings of said injector and ejector passages.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,792. Van Boden Jan. 9, 1917 1,705,188 Kelly Mar. 12, 1929 1,848,708 Gatchet Mar. 8, 1932 1,947,752 Benesh Feb. 20, 1934 2,030,853 Budwig Feb. 18, 1936 2,061,932 Budwig Nov. 24, 1936 2,235,278 Brunner Mar. 18, 1941 2,260,603 Budwig Oct. 28, 1941 2,507,410 Kemp May 9, 1950 2,536,361 Flanders Jan. 2, 1951 2,571,870 Hayes Oct. 16, 1951 2,612,403 Burch Sept. 30, 1952 2,753,213 Ofi'utt July 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,145 Germany Oct. 16, 1930 

